Rail bond installation



Aug. 4, 1936. H. H. FEBREY V RAIL BOND INSTALLATION Filed Dec. 29, 1953lawenf #4504 H Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE2,050,047 RAIL BOND INSTALLATION Application December 29, 1933, SerialNo. 704,587

4 Claims. (01. 29-169) This invention relates to rail bonds, one of theobjects being to provide a bond installation which is permanent yet maybe made cheaply and easily. Another object is to provide a methodofinstalling a plurality of bonds so that all the installations have thesame characteristics. Other objects may be inferred.

According to the present invention, the rail bond installation includesa conductor strand, 9. terminal connecting with this strand, and a.pointed pin which is driven through this terminal and into the solidmetal of a railroad rail. The installation will, ordinarily, include asecond terminal similarly fixed to another rail and connecting with theother end of the conductor strand, the two rails being those which areto be electrically bonded. It should be noted that the describedinstallation is entirely diiferent from one wherein a terminal pin isdriven through a hole previously formed in a rail, the pointed pin inthe present instance being solidly embedded in the metal, the latter andthe pointed portion of the pin being in intimate contact throughout. Thepin may in some instances be screw-threaded.

The above described installation is effected by shooting the pointed pinthrough the terminal with suflicient velocity respecting its weight toeifect penetration into the solid metal of the rail.

Preferably, the terminal should provide a flat tenedportion which may bepositioned against the side of the rail so as to conveniently receivethe pin. This flattened portion may be apertured 'to receive the pin, itmay have a relatively deep depression into which the pin is shot andwhich aids its penetration through the remainder of the terminal, or theflattened portion may be completely solid and the pin shot through itinto the rail.

Now it is obvious that the size of the pin is limited, and it followsthat its velocity must be correspondingly high. Velocities of aroundthree thousand feet per second are sufficient in most instances,although the shape of the pin as well as its weight may greatly varythis factor.

A particular feature of the invention is that a plurality of rail bondshaving terminals of the type mentioned may be installed so thatidentical characteristics are obtained as to each individualinstallation. This result is effected by properly positioning theterminals with their flattened portions at appropriate points againstthe sides of the rails to be bonded, and shooting pointed pins ofsubstantially equal weights through these portions and into the solidmetal of these rails at substantially equal velocities. This results inidentical installations, assuming that the proportions of the terminalsflattened portions are kept equal.

The high velocities required in connection with the present inventionindicate the use of explosive 5 charges as a means for propelling thepins. Also, explosive charges may be quite easily proportioned toprovide equal forces in each instance of a number of installations.

The invention will now be more'specifically de- 0 scribed with the aidof the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the bond installation.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is also a cross-section, but showing the 15 use of ascrew-threaded pin.

Figure 4 is a cross-section of a gun suitable for propelling a pin tothe required velocity by means of an explosive.

More particularly, Figures 1 and 2 show the end 20 portion of a railroadrail l the installation being made to the head of this rail in view ofthe greater mass of metal present there, and also since it permits theuse of a shorter conductor strand than would otherwise be possible ifthe splice bar had to be spanned. Continuing, there is shown a conductorstrand 2 with which a terminal 3 connects, the pointed pin 4 beingdriven through this terminal and into the solid metal of the rail, thisbeing shown particularly well by Figure 2. The terminal is preferablyconstructed to provide a flattened portion 3 through which the pin isdriven, as previously described.

The use of a screw-threaded pin is shown by .Figure 3. Contrary to whatmight be expected,

the solid metal of the rail completely fills the grooves in the surfaceof this pin, just as though the latter had been screwed into place. Thisinstallation results simply from shooting the pin into place atsuflicient velocity, this being also the method followed in connectionwith the use of the smooth-surfaced pointed pin shown by the secondfigure.

A gun suitable for use in effecting the installations described, isillustrated by Figure 4. It includes a barrel 5 which is fastened in abreech 6 by means of a rather heavy bayonet connection 1. This barrel ischambered to receive the pin 4 and a cartridge 8, the latter beingconstructed along the lines of the ordinary blank cartridge. Thiscartridge is one of many which must be supplied, it being rememberedthat the present invention provides particular advantages when aplurality of rail bonds must be installed. 55

Oi course, the pin 8, shown in the barrel 5, is also one of the manyrequired.

As previously explained, all of the pins used should have equal weights,and the explosive charges should be proportioned to produce equal forcesin each instance. Hence, the cartridges used should be carefully loaded\vith equal amounts of explosives. This indicates that commercial blankcartridges are not desirable, since they are not charged with any greataccuracy.

The breech 6 carries a combination hammer and firing pin 9 which isurged forwardly. ainst a resilient washer Iii, by a spring H. Also, ahandle I2 is fixed to the breech 6 and a suitable lock, such as the lugi3 urged forwardly by a spring l4 and depressible by a thumb operatedmember It, should be provided to prevent inadvertent separation of thebarrel 5 from the breech 8.

In use, the barrel 5 is loaded with the cartridge 8 and pin 6. Thebarrel is then fastened to the breech 6 and the gun as a whole iscentered on the terminal 3. The operator holds the handle I! with onehand, and with his other hand draws back the combination hammer andfiring pin 9,

sudden releasal of the latter effecting firing.

The illustrative gun just described is simplified so that it may beeasily constructed by those not familiar with firearm manufacture. Inaddition, it prevents the carrying of the gun in a cocked position,which is naturally dangerous, and requires the use of two hands in itsoperation, the last assuring that the operator will not have one handfree to put in a dangerous position.

I claim:

1. A rail bond installation including, in combination with a railroadrail, a conductor strand, a terminal connecting with said strand, and apointed pin driven through said terminal and into the solid metal ofsaid rail, said pin being solidly 5 embedded in said rail, the latterand the pointed portion of said pin being in intimate contactthroughout.

2. A rail bond installation including, in combination with a railroadrail, a conductor strand, 10 a terminal connecting with said strand. anda screw-threaded, pointed pin driven through said terminal and into thesolid metal of said rail, said pin being solidly embedded in said rail,the latter and the pointed portion of said pin being 5 in intimatecontact throughout.

3. A method of installing a plurality of rail bonds having terminals,including positioning said terminals against the sides of the rails tobe bonded, and shooting pointed pins of equal 20 weights through saidterminals and into the solid metal of said rails by means of explosivecharges which are proportioned in each instance to provide equal forces.

4. A method or installing a plurality of rail 25 bonds having terminals,including positioning said terminals against the sides of the rails tobe bonded, and shooting pointed pins of equal weights through saidterminals and into the solid metal of said rails by means of explosivecharges 30 which are proportioned in each instance to provide equalforces. said pins being sufllciently short to prevent their pointed endspassing through the opposite sides of said rails.

HAROLD H. FEZBREY. 35

